Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 19:29:36 +0100
From: glaad@glaad.org (Bill Horn)
Subject: Do's and Don'ts of Reporting "Murder By Design"
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Liz Tracey (212) 807-1700
Pager: (800) 946-4646 (pin #1423527)
E-Mail: tracey@glaad.org
The Do's and Don'ts of Reporting "Murder By Design"
A Resource for Media Professionals on the Andrew Cunanan Story
New York, July 17, 1997-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
(GLAAD) understands the importance of reporting on the Gianni Versace
murder and the hunt for prime suspect Andrew Cunanan, and in the interest
of fairness and accuracy has created this resource to provide media
professionals with the necessary tools for this story.
Below are Do's and Don'ts for reporting on lesbians and gay men as it
pertains to the Versace/Cunanan story. If you have any questions, please
feel free to call Liz Tracey, GLAAD's Associate Communications Director.
Do's and Don'ts
The following list has been adapted from GLAAD's Media Guide to the Lesbian
and Gay Community, a resource tool available to media professionals
interested in fairly and accurately reflecting the lives of our community.
The complete Media Guide is available by contacting GLAAD at the number
above.
Do explore the life of a well-respected figure such as Gianni Versace. The
positive contributions made by the victim are often lost in the telling:
the enormous warmth generated by Versace among those who worked with him
has been demonstrated repeatedly. Additionally, don't lose sight of those
who have lost a family member, a partner or a friend.
Do list the name of a partner of many years in a lesbian's or a gay man's
obituary. Recognize that it is unfair to defer automatically to the
biological family in these matters. Circumstances such as the deceased's
previously expressed wish, the length and nature of the relationship, and
the relationship between the deceased and her or his biological family
should be taken into account. Gianni Versace had a life partner, Antonio
D'Amico, of 11 years.
Do not identify someone as a "gay killer." A term such as this is extremely
problematic because it links one's sexual orientation directly with his or
her crimes. In the case of Andrew Cunanan, one would be outraged to see
him termed as a "Filipino killer." The same should apply with sexual
orientation. The relevance of Cunanan's sexual orientation is only as
important as it pertains to his life story, and as far as it serves to
inform the gay and lesbian community as to his possible whereabouts.
Do not refer to gay bars, clubs and nightlife as a "gay underworld" or "gay
underground." Many bars and clubs are decades-old institutions that have
been important in the development of lesbian and gay communities.
Furthermore, the implication is that if Andrew Cunanan were to move through
a local gay community, that he would be "hidden" by them. This is false: No
one, gay or straight, wants a murderer walking the streets.
Do not mention the gay or lesbian angle only when a story is negative.
Historically, a criminal who happens to be gay has been identified as a
"gay criminal," even when sexual orientation is irrelevant to the story,
while the gay humanitarian is simply a "humanitarian." A heterosexual
murderer would never be coined a "straight murderer." If a crime involves
a homosexual or heterosexual act, this is usually made clear from the facts
presented in a story.
Do not demonize the victim. Often, the private life of the individual is
sensationally scrutinized and reported on, in the very same paragraph as
that of the accused. Some have begun to demonize Versace, a well regarded
and respected man, solely on the basis of his sexual orientation.
Do use the term "sexual orientation" instead of "sexual preference" or
"alternative lifestyle." Most authorities agree that a person's basic
sexual orientation is established at a very young age and, as a rule, can
be hidden but not changed in later life.
Do include the viewpoint of someone who is actually lesbian, gay, bisexual
or transgender when reporting in issue that affect our communities.
Indeed, more than one viewpoint should be solicited, since our communities
are very diverse.
Do not use the label "admitted homosexual" or "avowed homosexual" to
describe those who are openly lesbian or gay. Lesbian, gay, or "openly"
lesbian or gay will suffice.
Do not refer to a lesbian or gay "lifestyle." The word implies something
casual and changeable, whereas being lesbian or gay is a fundamental sexual
orientation, like heterosexuality. Just like there is no "straight
lifestyle," there is no one lesbian or gay "lifestyle." We are as diverse
in the way we live our lives as everyone else.
Do not reduce the lesbian and gay communities to a single presumed way of
life. Like many heterosexuals, many lesbians and gay men are involved in
monogamous relationships. Indeed, it is all the more remarkable that these
couples build lives together without the support of social sanctions like
marriage and spousal benefits, and often without the support of their own
families.
Do not use inappropriate or stereotypical imagery, such as footage of gay
men "cruising" at parks to illustrate an AIDS story, or images of naked men
in a shower for a piece on gays in the military.
Do not stereotype lesbians and gay men by focusing on a particular segment
of our population. Coverage of lesbian and gay pride parades often centers
around stereotyped images of transgendered persons or members of the
leather community. In addition, coverage generally excludes the many
people in our communities who are not white, middle class, or male. Both
kinds of presentations misrepresent the reality of the lesbian and gay
community by failing to reflect our true diversity.
-30-
_______________________
GLAAD -- The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
E-Mail: glaad@glaad.org
GLAAD Online http://www.glaad.org -- AlertLine 1-(800) GAY MEDIA
GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means
of challenging all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation
or identity.
______________________________________________________________________________
'GLAAD' and 'Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation' are registered
trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.